Back to School 2022!

Last weekend, a total of 450 children were given new school essentials as part of our Back to School event! Coinciding with our Monthly Distribution for the month of December, the 18th of December had been one of the important final days of the year for GERSG.

With our partner Abam-abam Van Singapura (AAV Singapura) and their groups - Abam-abam Trailer SG, F10 Singapura, Gameover, TMHDD (Takkan Melayu Hilang Di Dunia), NamaikiTora, VanningTrooperz, BauyanTora - it had been a successful event that touched the lives of the low-income families in Singapore. The event was also made possible thanks to the generous contributions of our GER community.

The packing of the 450 Back to School packs and distribution items were done at Masjid Al-Amin, a longtime supporter of Global Ehsan Relief Singapore’s projects. The iconic flag-off was also carried out at the entrance of the mosque.

Amongst the many beneficiaries that we met were Mdm Fariha’s family, a first-time beneficiary for our Back to School project.

Mdm Fariha has four children between the ages of 9 and 16. They are currently schooling in the schools near their household in Eunos, but will soon enroll in Telok Kurau Primary.

Mdm Fariha’s husband is the sole breadwinner of the family, and they rely on his salary for all household expenses. Unfortunately, he was recently out of work due to various health problems such as his heart, knee and a slip disc. Now however, he is currently a full-time cleaner.

Her children were receiving help from MUIS before transitioning to FAS. Under FAS, they receive a card to purchase food and drinks during recess. However on days when they have to stay back for remedials and co-curricular activities, Mdm Fariha has to fork out extra money out of her own pocket for their food essentials.

Mdm Fariha also shared how the one pair of shoes that they receive to last a year rarely does so, due to the frequent usage of the shoe. She also mentioned that it is the most difficult item to purchase as it is usually expensive. Hence, she shares her gratitude with us for providing them with cash vouchers for the children’s school shoes.

During the distributions, we also met Mdm Liza and her family of eight children - four of them recipients of our Back to School packs. Having eight children in total, Mdm Liza, a housewife, has made sure that her family receives assistance from Comcare and MUIS.

When our team asked the young boys how they feel about school next year, we found out that one of them would be taking their PSLE next year! Their eldest sister shared how the most expensive items for school are the school bags and the school shoes.

The children change their bags at least once a year because the straps break when they can't withstand the weight of their school books. One of them even carries a tote bag alongside their backpack because of the amount of school materials he has to carry everyday. They also change shoes twice a year because they are growing quickly!

Hearing all this, we were so glad that the four boys were happy with the items that they received in our Back to School packs.

Thank you for your continuous support for our Back to School 2022 event. We hope that we can continue to benefit more people in our community in the coming year ahead, insyaAllah!